Stir-Fried Soba Noodles with Corn and Cabbage

This tasty Asian-inspired dish of stir-fried soba noodles with plenty of cabbage and corn teams well with tofu dishes. I especially like it with Sweet and Savory GlazedOrange Tofu, pictured in these photos as an accompaniment to the noodles. This simple noodle dish is super quick and easy to prepare and can be on the table in about twenty minutes.

Traditional Japanese soba (buckwheat noodles) are shaped like thin spaghetti and combine hearty-tasting buckwheat flour with wheat flour. Watch them carefully as they cook — they get to that pleasantly al dente texture pretty fast. Though I love the look and taste of soba, you’re welcome to substitute other kinds of long noodles.

Yield: 4

Stir-Fried Soba Noodles with Corn and Cabbage

This tasty Asian-inspired dish of stir-fried soba noodles with plenty of cabbage and corn teams well with tofu dishes.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time10 minutes

Total Time20 minutes

Ingredients

8-ounce package soba noodles (see Note), broken in half

2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil

4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage

1 to 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

3 scallions, cut into 1-inch sections

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, or to taste

1 to 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Optional

Sriracha or Szechuan hot sauce

Instructions

Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide skillet. or stir-fry pan. Add the cabbage, corn, and scallions and stir-fry over medium-high heat until the cabbage is slightly wilted but still crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the noodles, then season with soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Serve at once; pass around the hot stuff for those who like their noodles spicy.

SOBA STORY

Japanese soba noodles comes in varying percentages of buckwheat, from 20% buckwheat / 80% wheat to 100% buckwheat. The greater percentage of mineral-rich buckwheat, the more pronounced the flavor. 100% buckwheat is wheat-free, and considered to be gluten-free, but be aware that pure buckwheat noodles aren’t easy to come by in Western markets. Most will contain a percentage of wheat, so read labels if that’s a concern for you.

Soba noodles usually come in 8-ounce packages, gathered into bundles. Here are a few uses for them:

With stir-fried vegetables, like in the recipe above

Substituted for ordinary spaghetti; broken into shorter lengths for soups and broths

Served simply with soy sauce and sesame oil

With spicy peanut sauce

In cold salads combined with Asian vegetables such as snow peas, daikon radish, bean sprouts, and more